X2
|death= |species=Human (clone) |gender=Male |height=1.85 metersAs a clone of Abalan, who is 1.85 meters in height per , X2 would also be 1.85 meters in height. |mass= |hair=Orange |eyes=Red |skin=Light |cyber= |era=NoHead era |affiliation=NoHeads |masters=The Gladiator |apprentices= }} X2 was a clone of Abalan, a male mutant reportedly taken on by the Dark mutant the Gladiator as his secret apprentice. Following Abalan's death, it's implied that the Gladiator embarked on a quest to create a perfect, obedient duplicate of the man to take Abalan's place. Later on, X2 fought in the Second NoHead War. During the Second Cold War, X2 fought at the Battle of Transylvania with a group of Knights of Plague, attempting to take the Orb of Power from Master Intelligence. After the battle, he was presumably killed or imprisoned in Beta Prison. Biography Early life X2's origins are mysterious. He was a clone of Abalan, the deceased apprentice of the Dark mutant the Gladiator, reportedly grown as a result of the Gladiator’s apparent endeavor to create a perfect and obedient substitute to take Abalan’s place. However, X2 was abandoned when the Gladiator went on the run. Second NoHead War X2 spent the next several years in search of the Gladiator. Following the outbreak of the Second NoHead War, X2 was induced into the NoHeads by a NoHead Recruit named Rebecca. He was introduced to Rotta Hecks, as well as Annabeth Black. He asked them where the Gladiator was, but neither of them knew the answer. Battle of the Wasp The following day, NoHead forces attacked New York. X2 sought out Hecks, but Black found him first and told him that Rotta was on a dangerous mission. Deciding to help her, X2 denied Black’s offer to fight with her, boarding an N-66 fighter and taking the fight into the sky. After taking down two P-80 police skyfighters, X2 told several robot soldiers to take on Tyson, who he thought was following them. With that, X2 took off across the streets of New York. On his way, X2 encountered and defeated a police officer, but before he killed him, X2 learned that Sheriff Bladepoint himself was behind the defense. He soon spotted Bladepoint, followed him to a skylane transportation hub, and engaged the Sheriff in battle. X2 used explosives against Bladepoint, throwing him into the city’s traffic with the blast waves and injuring him. Faced with a challenging enemy, Bladepoint had to commend X2 for lasting longer against him than expected. Then, he retreated to resume his main objective: the search for Black, whom Rotta Hecks had kidnapped and transferred to her flagship, the Wasp. X2 took a nearby Robot Quar-fighter and joined the sky battle, engaging P-80 skyfighters in combat. Soon enough, Baby Intelligence arrived at New York City in order to rescue the Mayor. Annabwth joined the fray at around the same time. X2 flew as her escort, picking off police skyfighters. As Baby Intelligence closed in on the Wasp, Black dispatched X2 to deal with the superhero, but then Sebiscuits interfered, forcing X2 to retreat. X2 reported to Black, who then sent him with two N-54 fighters to infiltrate the Police Grand Cruiser. The evildoers successfully reached the cruiser’s bridge and secured control of the vessel, and X2 used his sword to destroy the turbolaser defenses, as well as some P-80 wingers that were attacking the approaching NoHead allies inside the hangar. He then returned to help prevent the rescue of the Mayor, but he apparently failed. Second Cold War In 2041, the Gladiator was seeking the Orb of Power, which was kept in the Hall of Domination. It was around this point that X2 was reunited with the Gladiator. He later fought at the Battle of Transylvania, when he was paired with fellow Knight Caberra. X2 was presumably killed during the battle or was sent to Beta Prison after the battle. Physical description Being a clone, X2 was identical to Abalan. His deep immersion in the Darkness caused him to manifest its physical effects, making his skin pale and turning his irises red. Personality and traits X2 was a cold and merciless Dark mutant, capable of differentiating between his own thoughts and those of his genetic template. He was very loyal to the Gladiator. Powers and abilities X2, created from the genetic template of the Gladiator’s former apprentice, possessed the same abilities and mutant potential as his progenitor. He preferred the dual blade form of combat. By the time of the Second NoHead War, X2’s deep immersion in the Darkness caused him to manifest its physical effects, making his skin pale and turning his irises red. X2 had some level of talent in piloting, though he held his own against Baby Intelligence in a dogfight, he could not hold off the latter and Sebiscuits Cardarphen at the same time. Relationships The Gladiator The Gladiator created X2 from Dark mutant Abalan in the state of Florida in around 2017, as part of the Gladiator’s endeavor to create a perfect and obedient substitute to take Abalan’s place. Their relationship was a good one. After the Gladiator's disappearance, X2 spent years looking for him. In 2041, X2 was finally reunited with the Gladiator. He later fought at the Battle of Transylvania. Behind the scenes X2, referred to as the “reborn” Abalan, first appeared in in a vision that corresponds with the non-canon ending to the novel. In addition, the dark clone’s origins were detailed in The Gladiator: Ultimate Cloning Edition. As these cutscenes have no impact on the book’s progression, and in terms of time placement precede the canonical or non-canonical endings, it is assumed that X2 is canon to the non-canonical continuity, even though he does not appear in the novel. This is primarily due to the fact that, in the novel, X1 experiences a vision wherein he attempts to kill the Gladiator at the end of their duel, but is instead killed by X2. This revelation ends up becoming one of the reasons for his decision to spare the Gladiator’s life. The vision also coincides with the material presented in the cutscenes and with the events of the non-canon ending. The Gladiator: Ultimate Cloning Edition X2 was a clone of Abalan, a male mutant taken on by the Dark mutant the Gladiator as his secret apprentice in this non-canonical novel. Following Abalan's death, the Gladiator embarked on a quest to create a perfect, obedient duplicate of the man to take Abalan's place. Within the cloning facilities of Florida, hundreds of failures were produced before the Dark Lord succeeded in creating a clone of the deceased apprentice that was able to overcome his template's emotions and submit himself entirely to the Darkness. As his training progressed, X2 surpassed all those who had come before him; he was able to store Abalan's memories independent from his own and suppress the dead man's feelings. The Gladiator planned to have the apprentice face a final test against a rogue clone of Abalan during the police attack on Florida, but X2 mysteriously did not participate in the battle, and his Master was captured by the police. Creation Created in the state of Florida in around 2017, X2 was a clone of Abalan, the deceased apprentice of the Dark mutant the Gladiator, grown as part of the Gladiator’s endeavor to create a perfect and obedient substitute to take Abalan’s place. Several clones had come before him, all of which had been trained using memory flashes from the original Abalan’s life. These predecessors had failed to meet expectations in one way or another, either due to genetic defects or succumbing to their template’s emotions, and were subsequently discarded. Upon his awakening, presided over by the Gladiator, X2 was confronted with Abalan’s memories, specifically the man’s feelings for his former pilot, Imperial-turned-police Captain Laleh Clipso, and his roommate, the NoHead Marauder Annabeth Black. Immediately, he asked about their whereabouts, but the Gladiator announced that she was irrelevant — all that mattered was what needed to be done. This, however, did not prevent X2 from inquiring about who Abalan was in the future. When questioned, the Gladiator repeatedly found it unnecessary to answer directly — rather, he stated the clone had inherited the memories, thoughts and dreams of a broken man, one far less powerful than X2. As a side effect of the cloning process, he possessed both the skills and weaknesses of his genetic template. X2 was trained in sword combat against several NoHead Trenists. After viewing his progress, the Gladiator showed him the cloning platforms in Tallahassee’s clone spire, which displayed all of his rejected brethren locked up in stasis. The clone was determined to surpass all the others, but he was curious as to know how many had preceded him. The Gladiator disregarded the question; instead, he told X2 that the only number that mattered was the quantity of clones that would be needed if he failed like the rest. The Gladiator warned him that if he could not overcome Abalan’s emotions, he would fail like his predecessors. Over time, the lead cloning technician noted that X2 was able to compartmentalize the memory imprints used to train him, thereby succeeding where all others had failed — the clone was able to store Abalan’s memories independently from his own, freeing him from his template’s emotions. Battle of Florida With the apprentice free of Abalan’s memories, the Gladiator brought him to a chamber where his template’s lifeless body was kept. The clone understood the significance of the act, and his Master believed that he, unlike all the others before him, would prove successful. In a training match against the holobots, X2 was able to rise above Abalan’s emotions, striking down a robot bearing the appearance of Captain Clipso, and taking out another who resembled Annabeth Black. To the Gladiator, the clone revealed his disgust and hatred for his template’s weaknesses, and his pride for being able to overcome them when those before him had failed. Satisfied, the Glafiator replied that he was almost ready for his final test. During the final stages of X2’s training, a renegade clone of Abalan, who had previously fled Florida, joined with the police in an attack on Tallahassee’s cloning facilities. The Gladiator intended to use the battle as a final test for X2 by drawing X1 into a trap atop the cloning spire. Before leaving to confront X1, the Gladiator instructed X2 to wait until his assistance was required. The apprentice announced that he was ready to fulfill the purpose of his creation. The trap did not go as planned, however. X1 bested the Gladiator in a swordfight but refused to strike him down, having previously seen a vision in which he was killed by the Gladiator’s new apprentice — the reborn Abalan — when he attempted to kill his opponent. The Supreme Leader was captured by the police upon the battle’s conclusion, with no interference from X2. Personality Unlike the clones that preceded him, X2 was able to overcome Abalan’s emotions, making him the lone success in a project filled with failures. To the delight of the lead clone technician who observed his progress, the apprentice managed to isolate the original Abalan’s memories; as a result, the clone could differentiate between his own thoughts and those of his genetic template. X2 grew to despise his template for his emotions and failures, ultimately feeling pride for rising above those weaknesses that had inhibited the clones who came before him. Non-canonical powers X2, created from the genetic template of the Gladiator’s former apprentice, possessed the same abilities and mutant potential as his progenitor. During his tutelage in Florida, X2 was trained in sword combat against multiple NoHead Trenists, using the dual blade form of combat. As the clone’s training progressed, the Gladiator told X2 that he had become more powerful than the original Abalan had ever been. By the time of the police attack in Florida, X2’s deep immersion in the Darkness caused him to manifest its physical effects, making his skin pale and turning his irises red. Relationship with the Gladiator The Gladiator created X2 from Dark mutant Abalan in the state of Florida in around 2017, as part of the Gladiator’s endeavor to create a perfect and obedient substitute to take Abalan’s place. Their relationship was a good one and the Gladiator deeply trusted X2 as he was the only success in a long line. Upon his awakening, the Gladiator patiently trained him and X2 felt comfortable around his maker. Still, he refused to answer most of X2's questions. Shortly before the Assault on Florida, the Gladiator showed X2 around the facility to show the latter what a success he was. Satisfied, the Glafiator replied that he was almost ready for his final test. It is unknown why X2 did not interfere when the Supreme Leader was captured by the police, but he spent years looking for him. Alternate ending In the non-canon novel The Gladiator: Ultimate NoHead Edition, the clone of Abalan chooses to strike down the Gladiator. Before this can happen, however, a sword blade suddenly appears through the clone’s chest. A hooded figure, having turned invisible to get near the clone, is revealed to be the wielder of the blade; he proceeds to best officer Ronald Koda in a brief duel before telekinetically choking the General and pushing him and several police officers into the ocean below as Terror Troopers deal with the remaining officers. The Gladiator approaches the dying clone of Abalan, announcing that he lied about the failure of the cloning project as the hooded figure reveals himself to be X2, Abalan’s perfect clone whose immersion in the dark side was physically reflected through his pale skin and yellow eyes. With the police attack repelled, the Gladiator commends his new assassin for succeeding in his final challenge. The obedient clone kneels before the Gladiator, who tasks him with taking the Shadow Laser to find and eliminate the surviving police scattered throughout the world. As he departs, X2 takes a moment to glance at the lifeless body of Annabeth Black; feeling no emotions for her, and not even glancing at Laleh Clipso, he raises his hood and continues on his way. Escorted by a group of N-54 fighters, X2 leaves Florida in the Shadow Laser and enters hyperspace to fulfill his orders. Appearances * * Non-canonical appearances *''The Gladiator: Ultimate Cloning Edition'' Notes and references Category:Males Category:Mutants Category:Dark mutants Category:Human clones Category:NoHead apprentices and acolytes Category:Villains Category:Battle of Transylvania participants Category:American individuals Category:2010s births Category:Unmarried individuals